This article was written for the October 2026 edition of Community Compass.
MCPASD’s Board of Education proudly kicked off the 2026-27 series of A Cardinal’s Journey Awards by recognizing students and staff who exemplify the Curious Cardinal Mindset.
The Board launched the award series last year to celebrate students who demonstrate the key skills and foundations in the District’s future-preparedness framework, and expanded the series this year to include staff. Each month will focus on a particular Cardinal Mindset or Cardinal Foundation.
At the Oct. 12, 2026, Board meeting, 10 individuals received A Cardinal’s Journey Awards for their excellence in bringing the Curious Mindset to life: Middleton High School students Lucas Gille and Arina Makarova; Glacier Creek Middle School students Leo Reardon and Jacob Roepe; and Sunset Ridge Elementary School student Bennet Nai; as well as Kromrey Middle School teacher Ms. Tanya Zempel, Park Elementary School teacher Ms. Elyse Grothaus, Clark Street Community School teacher Mr. Scott Jones, Glacier Creek Middle School teacher Ms. Anneliese Cannon, and Middleton High School teacher Mr. Steve Kurr.
Individuals who are curious have a strong desire to learn, understand, and explore new perspectives and ideas. They seek out answers, ask questions, and engage with the world around them. This curiosity strengthens personal growth and often encourages others to step outside their comfort zone and be lifelong learners. Staff and community members also shared how the award winners model curiosity in their school communities.
MCPASD’s Communications Team nominated Gille. In Gille’s nomination, the Communications Team shared:
“Lucas has been a leader in the CAPS program, recently rebranded as ‘SOAR,’ at Middleton High School and served as one of the District’s first student content creators for social media. He demonstrated curiosity in learning how to create social media posts, from choosing an event to cover and capturing photos to writing captions and managing the approval process. As a student content creator, he put the spotlight on SOAR/CAPS events and shared his perspective on the program with a community-wide audience. In addition to being eager to learn new concepts, Lucas is accountable and takes responsibility for his work. Finally, his friendly and outgoing personality helps Lucas easily connect with others. He showed tremendous growth his junior year, and we’re excited to see what he’ll accomplish during his senior year and beyond!”
Middleton High School Teacher Ms. Rachel Gilbertson nominated Makarova. In Makarova’s nomination, Gilbertson shared:
“Arina is a ninth grade student at Middleton High School this year. This is her second year in our District, and as a ninth grade student, she has been the most inquisitive student! She is in my study hall class and we often spend 30 minutes or more talking about current events, how high school and college work in the United States, and anything else on her mind. Her English teacher reports the same, that she is always asking deeper questions. As a multilingual student, she has an extensive background in other cultures and ways of living, and she brings that knowledge into the classroom to make connections that other students are not able to consider. She truly has a bilingual superpower!”
Glacier Creek Middle School Teacher Ms. Chase Connors nominated Reardon. In Reardon’s nomination, Connors shared:
“Leo is one of those students who is always asking questions and wanting to know more. He regularly raises his hand to ask thoughtful, sometimes really complex questions that go beyond what we’re learning in class. He is genuinely interested in new ideas and is not afraid to dig deeper when something catches his attention. Even better, Leo’s curiosity helps those around him, as he often gets his classmates thinking and helps them work through challenging concepts. He brings a great sense of curiosity and excitement to science class!”
Glacier Creek Middle School Teacher Ms. Kelly Kliefoth nominated Roepe. In Roepe’s nomination, Kliefoth shared:
“Jacob is a fifth grade student who is naturally curious and an eager learner! Whether it is asking the "why" regarding a rule of grammar, wondering if the definition of a word is the same in different contexts or subjects, or wanting to know more about his classmates and teachers, Jacob is always asking questions. He does so with sincerity, and in a way that makes other curious, too. I enjoy having students like this in my classroom because they raise the level of learning not just for themselves, but for everyone, and are the foundation of building a community of thinkers!”
Sunset Ridge Elementary School Teacher Mr. Chris Rago nominated Nai. In Nai’s nomination, Rago shared:
“Bennett is constantly seeking out new information and is always asking questions daily, which helps make our classroom an exciting place to be. His joy for learning is contagious to each and every one of us. He shares his background knowledge on many different topics and always keeps us thinking of different possibilities and ideas when many think there might just be one answer. Bennett is not afraid to explore new things and make connections within different ideas. I am thankful for Bennett’s curiosity and am looking forward to learning from him throughout this school year.”
MCPASD Parent Lisa Schwartz nominated Zempel. In Zempel’s nomination, Schwartz shared:
“Because of Ms. Zempel's seventh grade science class, my daughter is now excited to learn more about science in the future, even saying she will go on to college for it and find a related field to work in. Ms. Zempel made learning engaging, and sparked their curiosity. She made the subject feel accessible to the kids, and really showed individual interest in the students’ success. She remains my daughter's favorite teacher at Kromrey, and they make a point to say hello to each other every morning (even though my daughter is now in eighth grade)!”
MCPASD Parent Kelly Unger nominated Grothaus. In Grothaus’s nomination, Unger shared:
“Ms. Grothaus showed curiosity about our child even before the school year started, reaching out to us parents to talk about our hopes for our child in the coming school year. Throughout the year she connected with us often, even outside of the weekly newsletters, to check in and see how things were going from our point of view. She connected with our child's interests and offered additional ways we could engage with those interests, and she connected with other staff to help our child when needed. Her curiosity about and enthusiasm for her students is inspiring.”
Clark Street Community School Teacher Ms. Mary Lee Mckenzie nominated Jones. In Jones’s nomination, Mckenzie shared:
“Scott is an English teacher by certification, but at Clark Street Community School we teach interdisciplinary courses. Scott has been curious on how he could incorporate math into his course, Mockingbirds and Melting Pots, a look at the richness and complexity of classic American literature. Together, we designed activities that have students deepen their understanding of statistics in relation to how statistics can support an argumentative writing piece. Students amplify their arguments with data displays and interpretation to connect the literature with moral and ethical dilemmas. Scott exemplifies this curiosity through asking questions, encouraging wonderings in his classroom and continuing to grow in his own learning of math.”
Finally, Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue nominated Cannon and Kurr. In their nomination, Dr. Monogue shared:
“Anneliese Cannon and Steve Kurr received Fulbright Teacher Exchange awards from the U.S. Department of State. Anneliese teaches seventh-grade literacy and social studies at Glacier Creek Middle School, while Steve serves as an orchestra conductor and Fine Arts Department instructional leader at Middleton High School. As part of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program, they will complete online coursework during the fall semester and attend a symposium in Washington, D.C., in February. Through this process, they will develop final capstone projects and explore what they’ll bring from their travels to their students. Receiving a Fulbright Teacher Exchange award is an incredible accomplishment and a wonderful example of a Curious Mindset. Both Anneliese and Steve are taking their passion for learning beyond the walls of their classrooms, seeking new perspectives and experiences that will ultimately enrich the learning of our students and our entire District.”
Join us in congratulating all of these students and staff members on their achievements! In November, students and staff will receive awards for demonstrating the Community-Oriented Mindset.